Take-up and adjustable roller



Mw' 219e, w23.

L. v. FRALEY v TAKE-UP AND ADJUSTABLE ROLLER 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lOriginal .Filed April 12 May 29, B923.

L.V.FRALEY TAKE-UP AND ADJUSTABLE ROLLER original Filed Apri 12, 1919- BASQWZ@ 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 may 29, w23. 11,456,726

lv.. V. YFRALEY TAKE-UP AND ADJUSTABLE ROLLERl Grgnal Filed April l2 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 29?, i923. EAZ@ l.. v. FRALEY TAKE-UP AND ADJUSTABLE ROLLER Original ,Filed April 12 1919 I5 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 29, E923.

L. v. FRALEY TAKE-UP AND ADJUSTABLE ROLLER Original Filed April 12 ,i 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' azz/ferma 2/ iwal? of bales, bags,

Patented May 29, 1923.

LAVENCE V. FRALEY, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO STANDARD CONVEYOR' COMPANY, OF NORTH ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, A CORPO- Barron or MINNESOTA.

i TAKE-UP ANI) ADJUSTABLE ROLLER.A

Application filed April 12, 1919, Serial N0. 289,685. Renewed April 16, 1923.

To all whom 'it may conce/m.' n

j Be it known that I, LAWRENCE V. Fnminr, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Take-Up and Adjustable Rollers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, referencefbeing hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. j y

My invention relates to improvements in conveyors and has special reference to an improved conveyor takeup and adjustable delivery roller.

The object of my invention is .to provide a delivery device which shall be readily adjustable asto height to cause the delivery etc., at a suitable .height vfor piling, which shalll be effective to aid in the removal of bags, bales, etc., out of the path of the moving parts of the conveyor so that the containers will not be tornA or broken, or the Vconveyor ured and to provide a combined conveyor talreup and adjustable delivery roller of simple and efficient character.

The device of my invention also guards the attendant or operator from accidental contact with the moving parts of the carrier. The delivery roller should. preferably be placed close to the end of the carriage so that a commodity orarticle will be taken olf of the carriage for delivery .to the attendant i with the minimum opportunity for accidental catching or tearing of the commodity or article. It is also desirable that the delivery roll be adjustable as to angular position about the sprocket over which the carriage returns, so that the commodities to be delivered may be taken off at the proper angle for the bestdelivery.

If the delivery roller vbe pivoted at a fixedv pointadjacent the end of the conveyor arm then it will interfere with another requirement, namely, the takeup for tightening the carriage. The taleup must be provided vat the upper end of the conveyor arm because the lowerA end is iixedly connected to the driving mechanism. I have overcome these diificultiesby mounting the radius arm of the delivery roll upon a movable part which may be adjusted when lthe taleup is adjusted, so that the position of the delivery roll-with respect to the end of the apron may always be the same. Preferably I mount the said radius arm directly upon the adjustment of the talreup of the carriage.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to said drawings, in which:

i Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section on the line 1 1 of Figure 2; of a combined talreup and adjustable delivery roller embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof;y

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse ve'r-` tical section of the conveyor on the line' 3 3 of igure 2, and especially showing the relation of the power shaft, kconveyor and tracks;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic fragmentary side elevation illustrative of the practical application of my improvements; i

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailedvertical section on the line 5 5 of Figure 1;

Figure G is a similar horizontal section on the line 6 6 of Figure l; i

Figure 7 is a view similar to 1, illustrating a preferred form of my invention;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary substantially vertical section on the line 8 8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a side view of the adjustable arm and its mounting;

Figure 10 is a side view similar to the above, but with the clutch collar removed;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view showing a side elevation of the clutch collar; and,

Figure 12 isa fragmentary vertical section on the line 12 12 of Figure 8. y

The improved takeup and adjustable delivery roller, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a conveyor head shaft l0, provided with spaced sprockets 11, secured thereon for rotation therewith. The shaft is mounted for rotation in bearings 12,'which are adjustable in thel conveyor head in the manner and for the purposek hereinafter'set forth. l

rIhe `conveyor with whichA my improvevinent is associated has a travelling carriage formed of a plurality of transverse bars 13, or conveyor slats spaced at -uniform distances, and joined by two chains 14wadapted to engage the sprocket wheels 11'. The bars are preferably provided with Asupporting wheels 15 on'their ends, adapted to run on upper angle iron tracks 16 and lower similar tracks Tlieftype ofljcairia-ge may be Varied without affecting the present invention; v 'l These tracks. are varranged with one flange ofeach4 in vertical position and adaprtedrto guide the conveyor and 'the other fiange horizontal to provide a runwayor track for wheels to support the conveyor;A The chains 14 are connected to the inner surfaces or sides `of the axles 13 and the apron slats by, means of wing attachments extending I I l:trein/the sides of the proper links of the chain. Theselinks are secured vri idly to the bars by rivets 18' at theireiidsp n The conveyor head as illustrated coin- ,.:prises a skeleton fraine 19, one at each side ofthe conveyor. The tracks 16 and v17 are riveted to the ,inner faces of these frames yat the 'upper and lower edges'thereof, so as to produce a substantial and rigid conveyor i head. The several tracks are 'builtinto a rigid 'frame structure by suitable diagonals 16 and cross bars 17 as best yshown .in Figure-3. ln guse, yas best illustrated 'inFiglure 4,. the headl) isl supported oiithe tracks j 16 and 17 which are suitably supported aty their opposite ends 'upon bearings 10 mountedon the power 'shaft 10, atv the 0pposite or lower end of the structure, so that the lconveyor as a whole can be swung up and down to'position the head at the height desired for o delivering'- the. packages card. 'if

riedthereby, lsuch as the'bags 21. As illustrated'in Figure 4 the bags 21 are carried by the carriage,which eiicircles the shaft returning on the lower track, andvthereby the carriage drops the bags off` atl the upper endif' In piling bags'of material', such i iLS granwement, etc.,` it is desirable to eliminate as-in'uch manual Flabor as possible and tomake the delivery as easy as possible and to reduce'to a minimum the possibility of tearing the bags."y f

f" the bags were deposited upon a p latform from the conveyor from the carriage as it passes varound the shaft 10, orl if the fdelivery rollerI were spaced, too far. away, they wouldcome to rest with their rear possibly, tearthe bags.

objectsof my invention is to eliminate this ends in'the l path of the conveyor crossV bars 13 which wouldv continue to catch, rub .or @ne of the special difficulty andjcause the delivery ofthe bags to suchfposfition as to be outof `the path of thev conveyor carriage. For this purpose a delivery roller 22 which extends the i i" full width of the conveyor is mounted at a point y beyond thefdelivery end of the conv the conveyor and takethem out of the'path Veyor, This Aroller is adaptedto receive the bags 21er other commodities as theyleave of the" carriage, as illustrated in Figure '21.

v To allow for the' different 'inclinations of the coiiyeyorandto cause the roller'22 to best co-operat'e therewith to fulfill its desired function, the roller 22 issupported in such manner that it is readily adjustable vertically or radially relativelytothe delivery end of theconveyor and will yet retain fixed distance therefrom, even. when .the shaft 1'0 is adjustedy longitudinally of the carriage to regulate the tension thereof, or

tov take upv the slack therein.' For this purpose the bearings 12 for the shaft 10 are so mounted that they are adjustable longitudinally of the conveyor. Each side'frame 19 is provided with a longitudinal slot or opening 28'thruv whichy the shaft 10 projects.

Longitudinal flanges 24C, above and below these openings, .forin` a longitudinalv guide in which the shaft'bearingor bo-X 12 is received and in which it is movable'. ribs 25 at the outer edges of theseV flanges extend the whole length thereof and are a'daptedzto enter guide grooves 26 in the tops and bottomsof the bearings 12'y and guide them along' the channel; The chan; nel extends to the extreme eiidtofthe head and as" vShown in Figure '1 the bearing 112 can be positioned; at the extreme end of the se f Guide l head, or as indicated lby thedott'ed'circle f 10, can be drawn back enough to allow for all necessary adjustmentsl in the length of rthe carriage. To force the shaft 10 outwardly and hold it in its adjusted position each side frame ispr'ovided withanhadjus'ting screw 27 Yprojecting between they yflanges 241' and its free end engaging .in a socket'v 28 provided `in the bearinf 12.'` For making the screwefiective to adjust the shaft I providea threaded nut 27 mounted in a socket or opening29 in the'jsde frame,- andthru which the screw 27 is threaded. The nuts 27 preferably are square and the sockets '29 are of similar shapey toreecivelthe nutsk 'and preventtheir turning `with the screw 27 the rear or free endvof the screw has a square head 30 to facilitate the turning-of the screw with a suitable wrench. By turnset screws. l outer ends 33'0f vertically -adjustal'ile, arms 341 and these arms are' adjustably m'oi'nit'ed` ou the bearings 12, the bearings having cyl-'indrical end portions projectingl beyond the side frame flanges-24, for this puro'psegafnd upoii'which projections the' inner ends 36'v of the arms 34 are rotatablyvmountedl. "The outer ends 38 of the. arms 34' areprovide'd the shaft and secured thereonfby suitable 'E f The shaftf31 is mounted ,in-the with bearing hubs 37 for receiving the ends 35 by means of' suitable collars 38 secured' upon the outerends ofsaid projections 35 by set screws 39, To hold the arms 34 in their adjusted positions with theroller 22 at its desired height relatively to the deliv-.

. ery end of the carriage each bearing 12 has a rigid arm 40 projecting forward therefrom and arranged at the inner face of the arm 34. The free end 41 of the arm 40 is in the form of a segment having a plurality of holes 42 arranged concentric with the shaft 1.0 and adapted to receive a stop pin 43 carried by the arm 34. The' pin 43 is mounted in a boss or projection 44 on the arm 34. The pin has a head 45 by which. it can be moved. The pin 43 projects from the arm and engages in the holes 42. It may be withdrawn out of the holes to permit the vertical adjustment of the roller 22. The pin is normally held in locking position by 'a compression spring' 46 which is mounted'within the boss 44 and arranged between the shoulder 47 on thel pin and the opposing' shoulder 48 within the boss 44. To lock the arms 34 to the rigid arms 40 and thus hold the shaft 31 and roller 22 against endwise displacement, the arm 34 has a rigid hook 49 lateral around the outer end of the arm 40 and engaging the inner face thereof, To retain the shaft 31 properly positioned longitudinally relatively'to the arms 34, set collars 50 are mounted on the shaft adapted to contact with the' inner sides or facesv of the arms 34. To prevent the roller 22 land its supporting structure dropping too low, when the pins 43 are withdrawn for adjusting the height of the roller, stop lugs 51 project from the lower edges'of the rigid arms 40 and into the path of the adjustable arms 34 to engage the lower edges thereof. To prevent the strains of operation spreading` the flanges 25 apart, the frame has a vertical tie-bar or member at the outer end of the opening 23.

The shaft 10 itself serves to tie the two side frames 19 together and forthis purpose set collars 10 are provided on the outer ends of the shaft just beyond the outer ends of the bearings 12 andwadapted to contact therewith. l j

As the carriage makes the turn around' the shaft 10 the natural drop off inthe carriage permits the cross bars 13 with their wheels 15 to drop away from the sprocket wheels 11. The entry of t-he wheels 15 upon the lower track 17 is insured by depressing thc forward ends 53 of these lower tracks to provide ample clearance space between their ends andthe shaft 10. The lower tracks 17 between their ends and the middle portion thereof, as shown at 54, lie upon a gradual inclination` so that the wheels 15 will engage the tracks without shock and rising along the gentle inclination will be brought back to normal dista-nce from the upper track 16.

In order to permitthe free turning of the carriage around the shaft, particularly when the shaft is at the inner limit of its adjustment, the upper tracks 16 are cut short at 5?), substantially even withthe said inner position of the shaft and in the place of the vertical flanges of the tracks 16-I provide integral tracks 56, providing continuous side guides for the wheels 15 in the plane of the inner surface of the vertical flange of the track, and continue this thickening around the outer edge ofthe frame for the same purpose.

In Figures 7 to 12 inclusive, I have illustrated the preferred form of adjustable mounting of the idle roller` 22 concentric with the shaft 10. In this form I provide the conveyor head side frames 19 like those already described, and carrying adjustable boxes 60 similar to the boxes 12, and provided with longitudinal grooves 61 top and bottom, to receive the flanges 24 of the conveyor heads. The adj ust-able arms 62 which carry the roller 22 at their outer ends are mounted at their inner ends on the boxes 60 which are provided with concentric cylindrical bearing portions 63 for this purpose. Each box 60 is provided with a flange 64 forming a shoulder at the inner end of the cylindrical bearing'63 and against which the inner faces ofthe arms 62 contact. The arms 62 are freely adjustable up and down around theshaft 10` and on the bearings 63. To hold the arms 62 in their adjusted positions-I provide the outer faces of the inner' ends of the arms with radial clutch teeth65 adapted to engage with similar radial clutch teeth 66 formed on a hub or collar 67. which in turn is mounted on the outer end 68 of the box 60. I make this outer end 68 polygonal -in shape, preferably square in crosssection as shown,`and`I provide the collar 67 with asquare central holev to fit on the squarebearing and adapted to permit the collar 67 to slide back and forth thereon to free the teeth 65 to permit the arm 62 to be adjusted, or to engage with the teeth 66 and hold thearm in adjusted position. The teeth 65 and 66 are'uniformly spaced on the two members'andpermit them to be engaged in many relative positions to hold the roller 22 at any desired height relatively to the shaft 10, or in other words relatively to the delivery end of the carriage. To hold the roller 67 in engaging position. I provide a set screw 69 having a winged head 70 and mounted in a threaded opening in the collar 67, and I provide ahole 71 in the outer end 68 of the bearing 66 to receive the inner end of the screw. The boxes 60 are held against arms 62 rotation by disengagement 'of'l the flanges 24 in the grooves 611,v the collars `67 lare heldagainst rotation'byjthe square ends of the boxes 60 upon which the collars fit, and. the

gagement ofy theteeth on the arms'with the teeth on the collars v67. l

It Willy now vbe' understood' vthat by means of the improvedy combinedy ltalreup and adjustable delivery roller,itis possible to ad just the shaft l() to take up the slack of the carriage. ,T his adjustment does not` vary the relative position of the roller 22.. at the end of the conveyor with respect' to the car-A riage, andthat itis possible to adjust thel roller 22 vertically, relatively .to the shaft l() toeflcct the desired delivery I claim: j 1 l. `The herein described improvement in conveyorsiv comprising 'af flexibleV carr1age-l a around ywhich the carriage is trainech an .idler roller .positioned beyond the'shaft, bearings for saidshaft fortalnng up said carriage, arms pivotedon saidbearings,said roller being rotatably mountedin thevlfree ends` of the'saidar'ms, and means rigid with said bearings for holdingtsaidarmsl 2. The herein` described to be trained, a carriage hea-dbearings on said head for said shaft, means by which.

said bearings are adjustable for 'adjusting the carriage, arms piyotally mounted on saidj bearings, a-n idler roller rotatably mounted in the free ends ofcsa'id armssegments rigid With said bearings',` means for locking-A` said armsto said segments,y at ay pluralitybf points, for holding the lroller at various. heights. ,i j z j.

3. The herein described .improvemenm comprising acarriage shaft yhaving sprocket wheels around Which/acarriage is adapted to be trainecha carriage head., lbearingswony said head1 for said shaft, a carriage 4headA frame upon which the shaftis carried-bearings slidinpgly mounted on the frame and in which the shaft is rotatably ,mounted-j, adjusting; screws carried by theframeand engagging said bearings,- arms pivotallymount-l ed to swing; around saidzshaft, v,a delivery roller rotatably carried by said arms and means for engagingl said. arms With said bearings 4to `hold the armsrelativelyto the bearings.y v i 4. The, improvements herein described, comprising' a shaft having sprocket Wheels around which a carriage is adapted to be trained, a frame Work on. which said shaft is movable totake up thev carriage bearings` carried by said framevvorlrin which said shaft is rotatably mounted, rigid projectionsl i o n said bearings, an idle roller arrangedba are'held against rotation Vby the ,ene`

of the com`- .modities carried-by the carriage.

- improvement, lcomprisinga conveyor shaft having sprocket Wheels around which acarr-iage 1s adapted yondi said shaft,arms ypi'votally mountedvonfy said bearfi'ngrsandinT the free endssof which sav-id roller is'rotatably mounted, means, can` ried by said: arms for engagingsaid proj eejy tions ,tolioldr the .arms in adjusted positions, and; means;holding;-l s'aid arms in engagement' with: the' free ends ofl said projectionsv to hold saidv arms and roller transversely relavtively tothe shaft. 1 'f f .5. ,Thehereind'escribed improvement comprising, ay Ashaft having sprocket Wheels around which acarriage.is adapt/edito be trained, avframe-Workonwhich vsaid shaft lis mountedand movable for taking up the carriage, bearings2 slidingly mounted on saidframework infWhich said shaft is rotatably mounted,xrigid projections on said bearings anidle roller arrangedbeyondsaid shaft adapted. to-receive articles conveyed by;

said conveyor, varms rotatably mounted on saidqbearings andfinthe,` free ends offWhich:

said roller is rotatably'mounted, hooked pro# jections on-said arms extending around said projections to hold the armsgi'n engagement jvith said'projections, .and means for hold.- ing the-arms in vertically .adjustedg positions.- f

. Ther herein described` improvement,

comprising a sha-ft having ysprocket VWheels, around whichaycarriagejis adapted to-be trained,v aE frame Work yon v Which Asaid shaft 1s mountedand movable f01 .talring'up the carriage, bearings sliding'ly mounted on said framel Work in which said shaft is rotatably mounted-,frigid projections on said bearings,

an idle roller arranged ,beyond said vshaftadapted to receive articles conveyedlA on ele- 'vate-d, by saidv ,carriage7 armsrotatably mounted on.` 'said `bearings anddn the'- free` endsof Which said5roljlery is lrotatably mount'- ed, vhooked projections on said arms extend-y ing aroundsaid projections` tofholdf the' armsin veng-agement'. with said projections, said proj yections. each h'ayi'ngva 'series of, holesv arrangedfconcentric with saidconveyor shaft,` andy aspringI pressed pin carried by each ofy said armsfor engagingl in said holes to hold lil 0 the arms and the: idle roller in adjusted po,-l

sitions. j l y 7.. The herein describedl improvement ycomprisma a1 shaft' hearingy `sprocket Wheels around rwhich a. carriageis adapted4 tol bei trained, a framewvorlthaving slots in Which saidshaft ismounted 211,191 movable, fortakingup the carriage, bearings slidingly ymountedon' said frame Work in which said shaftis rotatably mounted, rigidrprojections on said] bearings, an idle' rollery arranged beyond-said shaft adapted to receive articlesconveyed or elevatedby said carriage, arms rotatably mounted onsaid 4bearingsand; in the free ends of .which said` roller is rotatably ymount-` edhooled projections onfsaid arms extend# ing' around said projections sa-id rigid pro-t jections ea'ch'liavimq` a series yof'holes arranged in a row concentric with said shaft, and a spring pressed locking pin carried by each of said arms for engaging in said holes, and stop projections at the lower edges of said rigid projections for engaging said arms to limit their movement in one direction.

8. In a conveyor, a carriage head comprising side frames, tracks secured to the upper and lower edges of the side frames, a shaft around which the carriage is trained the side frames having longitudinal slots thru which said shaft projects, a bearing for the shaft movable on each side frame, tongue and groove connections between the bearings and side frame for guiding the bearings, means carried by the side frames for adjusting the bearings, and an idle roller arranged beyond said shaft, arms pivotally mounted on said bearings in the free ends of which said roller is mounted, means retaining said arms on said bearings.

9. The herein described improvement in conveyors, comprising a carriage head consisting of two side frames, upper and lower angle bar tracks, one side of each track being vertical to form lateral conveyor guards' and the other side of each being horizontal to form wheel tracks7 the vertical fianges secured upon the inner faces of said side frames, a shaft around which the conveyor is trained, the shaft movable in said side frames for adjusting the carriage, the upper angle bar tracks terminating at the inner limitof movement of said shaft, said side frames having integral tracks abutting the ends of the upper bar track, said integral tracks forming a continuation of said first tracks. v

10. In combination2 a conveyor arm having a shaft adjacent its free end, a carriage comprising a plurality of transverse carrying rods or slats having rollers upon the ends thereof, tracks on the upper and the lower sides of the armfor guiding the rollers, said carriage being trained over said shaft, a delivery roller mount-ed on the free end of the arm and adjustable up or down with respect to the free end of the arm to deliver commodities at a higher or lower level and means for rigidly holding the delivery roller to the free end of the conveyor arm in any desired position.

11. In combination, a conveyor arm having a free upper end, a guide at said free end, a sliding bearingy in said guide, a shaft j ournaled in saidbearing, a carriage trained over said shaft, means for moving the bearing to take up the slack of the carriage, an arm pivoted concentricallywith the sha-ft, and a delivery roller supported on the arm.

12. In combination, a conveyor arm having a free upper end, a guide at said free end, a sliding bearing in said guide, a shaft journaled in said bearing, a carriage trained over said shaft, means for moving the bearing to take up the slack of the carriage, an arm pivoted concentrically with the shaft, a delivery roller supported on the arm, and means for rigidly connecting the roller arm and the bearing in any desiredl position.

13. In combination, a conveyor arm having a free upper end, an endless carriage traveling on said arm, a take-up mechanism at said upper end for taking up the slack of said endless carriage, a delivery roller Vcarried adjacent said upper end, said delivery roller maintaining a fixed distance from the delivery end of said endless carriage independently of the adjustment of said take-up mechanism.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name, this 29th ay of March, A. D.,

LAWRENCE V. FRALEY. 

